Persephone

[Nuri]

So what are your experiences with Her? Any links, poems, prayers, UPG, etc. on Her?

I never really gave much thought to Persephone for a long time. I felt that she wasn't the real main character of her own story, but rather a pawn fought for by Demeter and Hades. But then I read this ridiculous novel about her. It was in the historical romance section, which I usually ignore, but it caught my eye for some reason. After reading it, I saw her in a completely different light. Since then, I've really meditated on Persephone as a goddess, not just a myth. If you would like, I could give you the title of the book? it may not be an instant classic or bestseller, but I enjoyed it! They also have one for Aphrodite.

[Karhunvatukka]

this poem/song (which feels closer).

I have nothing personal to add about Persephone, but "Demeter's Daughter" is a wonderful song. I noticed that the link above doesn't give a source for it. It's by Anne Lister, who is very much worth checking out, and writes a lot of songs inspired by various kinds of mythology.


Grace Griffith also does a nice version of it, on an album called "Grace".

(Wait, those aren't considered commercial links, are they? I have no financial interest in either one; I'm just a fan.)

[alexmegami]

I've heard of it - it's all very confusing; I think there are even a few myths where She appears in the Underworld when She should be on Olympus/the above world. It's hard to figure out when and where and how to honor Her sometimes, especially where I live - we have a long summer and a short winter, with practically no spring or autumn. I will have to figure something out I suppose.

While most tellings have Persephone eating six seeds, I've also seen a few that mention as few as four (and apparently there have been ones with as many as eight). If it were me, I'd honor her when green things start coming out of the earth and when the first frost comes, even if those days move; alternatively you could pick a day around when "spring" usually starts and when "winter" usually starts.

Also, on the topic of Persephone poetry: http://www.goblinfruit.net/2011/spri...rsephone_intro

[Jewitch]

So what are your experiences with Her? Any links, poems, prayers, UPG, etc. on Her?

Resurrecting an old thread here but I have always felt most connected to Persephone and have particularly enjoyed this poem.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/prayer-to-persephone/

Especially these lines:
Say to her, "My dear, my dear,
It is not so dreadful here."
Edna St. Vincent Millay

[RoselynLibera]

Resurrecting an old thread here but I have always felt most connected to Persephone and have particularly enjoyed this poem.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/prayer-to-persephone/

Especially these lines:
Say to her, "My dear, my dear,
It is not so dreadful here."
Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna has some lovely work. Thanks for resurrecting!



Persephone...oh, Persephone's my girl. It took me awhile to recognize her, but it was always Persephone calling out to me. She loves the smell of pomegranates which makes me suspect that she knew what she was getting herself into! To me, Persephone's all about renewal and balance (life/death, daughter/wife, summer/winter)...give and take but in the end, it's about one's inner power or soul. Psyche ("soul") visited Persephone as the last of her tasks because she wouldn't be ready to face Eros again without Persephone's help. Persephone once was also the innocent young girl like Psyche. My favorite myths tends to feature Persephone: Psyche, Orpheus, her abduction, Adonis, Dionysus...

and poetry too: http://goblinfruit.net/2011/spring/p...em=persephone1


And although Hades is her husband, I work mainly with her and Dionysus; strange but suitable. If Persephone is about inner power, Dionysus works to bring it all out.

Persephone (Kore, "girl" or "maiden" in ancient Greek) is a goddess about walking that terrible balance between life and death. She's torn between complete opposites - light and dark, Olympus (or at least Earth) and the Underworld, Her mother and Her husband - craving both, unable to settle for just one or the other. She is perpetually the maiden of springtime and the Queen of the Underworld. It was Her kind words that convinced Hades to allow Orpheus to retrieve his dead lover. Off the top of my head I believe She played a role in Dionysus' birth as well (His... first birth. It's confusing) but I don't have any Greek books at the moment and I'm on a roll. :D Look up "Zagreus" and see if I'm talking out my backside.

... Persephone strikes me as a goddess Who would be helpful in my particular work...

Imagine wandering lost in the woods with your flashlight on the fritz. The path leads you into a cave, which becomes narrower and narrower. The light goes out. You could turn around - and risk being lost in the woods forever - or follow the path beneath your feet. Into the dark, damp, freezing cave. Maybe you've even been down this cave before, and all you can do is walk and walk and walk until you exhaust yourself and wake up, mysteriously, back in your room like nothing happened. Maybe you're tired and sit down in the cave, ready to give up and die just so you don't have to do this one more time.
...But Persephone would be the One to take my hand in the darkness, whispering a comforting, "I'm here. I've walked this path before. And I'll walk it with you, now."

It doesn't make the depression/cave any brighter, or an easier path to walk. But sometimes you must/need to go through that darkness, and what you really need isn't light. It's someone to walk it with you.

I love this description! Thank you!

[NibbleKat]

A year and a half ago, I was contacted by the goddess in a dream, and have had infrequent dreams of her since, but other than that, very little contact.

When I think of Her, I feel very soothed and calm. I feel like She is mysterious and even a little reserved, but not unfeeling. Very patient as well. All of this is UPG of course, and as I don't really know how to communicate with deities, I add the disclaimer that it very well may just be me.



I do have a few links about Her; Theoi.com of course, and a wonderful sermon with her abduction myth as the centerpiece. There's also this poem (which feels a bit off to me) and this poem/song (which feels closer). These were all posted in the SMF board's thread on her.

So what are your experiences with Her? Any links, poems, prayers, UPG, etc. on Her?

The only real contact I've had with her is painting her:

http://nibblekat.deviantart.com/art/...orld-155974081

And my UPG two cents? I never felt she was raped by Hades. I ... just feel she went willingly, and those on the other side made the big fuss. Also, check out the lovers of Hermes bit in Theoi; there's a little bit of her in that section!